Won’t you be my neighbour?
St. Elwick’s Neighbourhood Association Newsletter Podcast review
Production Company – Dot Dot Dot productions
Rating – 
There is something typically British about awkward humour. Going off on tangents, getting embarrassed about social faux pas and pauses in conversation that go on just slightly too long. This is a style that has been almost exhaustingly explored over the last 30 years with TV shows such as The Fast Show, The Office and anything featuring Alan Partridge.
One of the relatively new faces to this though is Mike Wozniak. His role in Man Down was a perfect straight man to Greg Davies and Roisin Conaty’s insane escapades. I didn’t actually know that this was his show when I subscribed, but it was certainly an incentive to listen, rather than just store it away forever on my “to listen to” list.
So what’s it about?
The ridiculously long title says it all really. It’s an audio version of a (now sadly defunct due to budgetary cuts) printed newsletter for the residents of the entirely fictional suburb of St. Elwick in Exeter. Presented by local spokesman Malcolm Durridge, there are interviews with locals, a history segment, puzzles and adverts for upcoming events.
Aaaand, that’s about it really. I can’t add any more to this section. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.
Is it any good?
The problem with an awful lot of comedy podcasts is that they try too hard to be funny. This is unfortunately true of a lot of American shows (sorry). The characters are always too loud, or too zany and after a while it starts to feel like a sugar rush.
This show is the opposite of that. It’s rough around the edges, Malcolm Durridge (Wozniak) doesn’t really know how to record audio, and relies on his daughter Jess to do the final edits. He’s also so British that he finds it difficult to assert himself when topics inevitably run off at a tangent. Until of course, he reaches the end of his patience. Even then though, he never gets aggressive. The building tension is palpable and it’s hilarious.
You can’t really comment on the sound design or the music. There really isn’t any. The acting though is incredible. I suspect that it’s entirely improvised, it has that feel, which ultimately adds to the realism. Comedy characters like Alan Partridge and David Brent rely on taking cringe to an extreme. Malcolm Durridge doesn’t though. He’s just a common or garden British dad. There’s a bit of him in all of us.
While the characters are stereotypes, I defy anyone not to recognise at least one of the residents of St. Elwick from their neighborhood. My mother lives in Dawlish (not far from Exeter) and while I don’t personally know her neighbours, I can imagine the characters living on her road (and annoying her immensely).
Wozniak has created a living, breathing, reality. You don’t really know these people, but you can relate to them. You can imagine having a drink with them at the pub, or buying a cake (or painted nut) off then at a charity market. I think this comes from the fact that nothing is explained. When listening, you, the listener, are a resident of the area. You know people like them. If there were long introductions for each person, then it would ruin this carefully crafted illusion.
Final thoughts
There are so many shows that I could mention in the same breath in a “if you like that, then you’ll love this” manner. Radio shows like The Harpoon, podcasts like Brain Cigar, and of course the TV shows I mentioned in the opening preamble will give you a good idea of the style.
Until I listened to this show, my list of favourite comedy podcasts only had two entries, Brain Cigar and A Scottish Podcast. It now has three though. If you love the stereotypical British humour then you’ll love this. It’s a real shame that it ended three years ago, but I’m glad that I have all the episodes to enjoy.
This show has also broken the record of the longest title, an accolade previously held my the equally brilliant Modes Of Thought In Anterran Literature.
You can get St. Elwick’s Neighbourhood Association Newsletter Podcast here:
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